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Dear friends, as I reflect on the close of 2017, the outpouring of love in support of courageous refugees and displaced populations around the world mesmerizes me. Whether you’ve stood #WithRefuges and welcomed new Americans for many years or whether you’re a new supporter and advocate, I am grateful for and indebted to you for contributing your portion of unwavering support that has sustained Nile Sisters Development Initiative ( NSDI ) and enabled the delivery of vital assistance to new Americans over the past 16 years.

On October 28, 2017, MHSOAC» the California ( Mental Health Services and Oversight Accountability Commission ) held a community forum» in Los Angeles to discuss the impact of Proposition 63, known as the Mental Health Services Act ( MHSA ).

The Client and Family Leadership Committee and the Cultural and Linguistic Competence Committee facilitated the forum, and NSDI ( Nile Sisters Development Initiative ) led a breakout session that covered the topic of refugee mental health, the first of its kind for the MHSOAC.

San Diego County is one of eight refugee-impacted counties in the State of California; it is also the largest refugee resettlement site in the State. Reports indicate at least 150,000 refugees or former refugees reside in San Diego County, an estimated 30,000 individuals from East Africa and Horn of Africa, mainly Somalia, reside within the City of San Diego. The recent Executive Order entitled, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” signed by President Trump on January 27, 2017, greatly impacts the San Diego region, a community that has demonstrated a culture of welcoming new Americans.

In light of President’s Trump’s Executive Order, San Diegans have shown full support of refugees by supporting Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI) programs. NSDI has received increased donations of material goods and financial contributions. There was also a boost in new social media engagement by 175%, and an influx of volunteer inquiry submissions from individuals who want to help refugees in different ways, including tutor English as a Second Language (ESL), assist with professional development and job search.